DSET’s non-resident fellow, Lilly M. Lee, recently co-authored an op-ed with Libby Lange, Director of Intelligence at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), titled “Beijing Intensifies Efforts to Sway Taiwan’s Youth”, published in Real Clear World (RCW). The article discusses China’s growing efforts to recruit Taiwanese influencers and entertainers to post pro-unification content or videos of their travels to China, underscoring a strategic attempt to shape public opinion among Taiwan’s younger generation.
In June, several Taiwanese celebrities and YouTubers revealed that they had received offers from Chinese entities to create online content promoting unification, including requests to produce travel videos in China, establish pro-unification political parties, or share statements advocating for unification.
The authors highlight that even seemingly harmless content, such as travel videos, carries subtle political messages aimed at reshaping Taiwanese youth’s perceptions of China. President Xi Jinping and Wang Huning have both emphasized that Taiwan’s youth is a critical demographic for advancing unification. China has used economic, educational, and cultural incentives to attract young Taiwanese to develop careers in China.
The op-ed further describes China’s use of “cognitive warfare” as a long-term strategy to influence Taiwanese youth through non-political content. Training camps and media events have been set up to cultivate pro-China influencers in Taiwan, raising global concerns about the impact of this “pay-for-play” approach on democratic processes and national security. Countries are increasingly considering tighter regulations on foreign-sponsored content as a result.
The authors suggest that Beijing, frustrated with the limited success of its previous disinformation efforts, has turned to recruiting Taiwanese influencers with established local followings as a more effective way to influence public opinion.
In response, Taiwan has implemented countermeasures, including the establishment of a “Cognitive Warfare Research Center” by the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau. The government has also increased monitoring of Chinese social media platforms, such as TikTok, though detecting political messages embedded in cultural content remains a challenge.
The authors conclude by urging countries to recognize that China’s strategy toward Taiwan extends beyond military threats and increasingly focuses on cultural and economic infiltration, particularly targeting younger generations to weaken their support for Taiwan’s government.
They offer three key policy recommendations: first, stricter disclosure requirements for sponsored content, especially when foreign entities are involved; second, financial incentives or alternative revenue streams for local influencers to reduce the appeal of foreign sponsorships; and third, educational programs for content creators to raise awareness of the potential risks of exploitation. The authors also encourage countries to consider Taiwan’s developing policy tools as valuable models.
Lilly M. Lee is a non-resident fellow at DSET’s National Security Studies Division and a research assistant at SCSP. She is also a PhD candidate at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Libby Lange is the Director of Intelligence at SCSP and a former speechwriter for President Tsai Ing-wen.